Welcome to the UK’s New Speed Trap Culture
Is driving at 25mph the new criminal offence? Apparently, yes – if you’re in London, Wales or an increasing number of towns and cities across Britain. In what feels like an ever-tightening noose on British motorists, the humble 20mph speed limit is no longer just for school zones or hospitals – it’s everywhere. In Wales, a blanket 20mph limit was rolled out across most built-up areas in 2023. Meanwhile, London, never one to miss an opportunity for regulation, has been steadily replacing 30 zones with 20s – now covering over half the city’s roads. And guess what? Other councils are falling in line faster than you can say “Notice of Intended Prosecution.”
Over 1 Million Drivers Fined in 20mph Zones
Let’s cut to the chase:
- In Greater London, 251,000 drivers were fined in 20mph zones in 2023 – more than any other speed category.
- In Wales, over 84,000 motorists were caught out in just the first few months of enforcement in 2024.
- Nationally, we’re talking over a million drivers in just 12 months.
These aren’t reckless boy racers doing burnouts outside Tescos. They’re nurses, delivery drivers, pensioners, care workers, parents on the school run — good people, in ordinary cars, being turned into criminals for simply… being normal.
Is It Safer? Depends Who You Ask
The Welsh Government claims its 20mph rollout led to a 30% drop in deaths and serious injuries in the first year. That sounds good – and it is. But dig deeper…
Transport for London says average speeds only dropped by around 1.7–5mph after new limits were introduced. In Wales, the figure was just 3mph.
And even more revealing – a joint study by Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Cambridge found no significant reduction in collisions in trial areas. What they did find, however, was a reduction in traffic volumes. Hmmm…
Could this really be less about safety… and more about slowly squeezing cars off the roads?
The Real-World Risk No One Mentions
Here’s the thing: 20mph feels unnaturally slow – especially in modern cars with excellent brakes, sensors, and collision-avoidance tech.
And because it feels too slow, drivers who do obey the limit are often tailgated, overtaken dangerously, shouted at, or worse. We’ve all seen it. Some of us have experienced it.
So while the limit might look safe on paper, it can actually create more conflict, more risky overtakes, and more stress on the roads.
Slower Speeds = Cleaner Air? Not Always.
It’s easy to assume lower speeds = lower emissions. But real-world data is messy:
- A UK Government study found that, under stop-start urban conditions, petrol cars emitted 36–39% more CO₂ at 30mph than at 20mph.
- But a Bristol study showed 2% more CO₂ and nearly 8% more NOx at 20mph compared to 30mph for petrol cars.
- Diesels fared better at slower speeds in most tests.
The truth? Lower gears at low speeds = higher fuel use in many vehicles. Add longer journeys, idling in traffic, stop-start driving… and the air might not be getting cleaner after all.
The Bigger Picture: Death by a Thousand Fines?
Put it all together:
- ULEZ expansion
- Congestion charges
- Ever-shrinking speed limits
- Millions of automatic fines
And now a new generation of young people who can’t afford cars, insurance, or fuel, let alone parking or repairs.
Is this not the war on motorists? Or are we just being paranoid?
Because from where I’m sitting – watching honest drivers get nicked for doing 24 in a 20, while juggling childcare, night shifts, or deliveries – this looks a lot like a stealth campaign to regulate driving out of existence and fill the tax coffers in the meantime.
Have YOU been caught by a 20mph camera?
Did you even realise you were in a 20 zone?
Do you think it’s safer – or just slower?
Tell me in the comments below!
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At 20 miles an hour the car is there fifty percent longer than at thirty miles an hour, so tailpipe emissions are 50% higher.
My car can use cruis3 control at twenty five miles an hour, but it doesn’t go down as low as twenty. It’s almost impossible to keep the car at twenty just with the accelerator.
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